Community

PurposeThe purpose of this policy is to provide the procedures for reporting, investigating and making emergency notifications regarding any resident student of Church Divinity School of the Pacific who is believed to be missing. This policy is required under the Higher Education Re-authorization Act of 2008.

PolicySchool officials should be notified that a member of the CDSP community is or is suspected of being missing. School officials, once notified, should notify the school's safety officer and the local law enforcement agency.

General ProvisionsAny member of the CDSP community, including employees and students, who is concerned that a member of the school community is missing should contact the Dean of Students office (510-204-0716) as soon as it is determined that the individual is missing as defined below. Definition A student is presumed to be missing when his/her absence is inconsistent with his/her established patterns of behavior and deviation cannot be readily explained. Before presuming that a person is missing, reasonable measures should be taken to determine whether or not the person is at their off-campus place of residence and whether or not anyone familiar with the person has seen or heard from the person recently or is aware of where they may be.

Emergency ContactsStudents may identify an individual to be contacted if he or she is determined to be missing. If a student is determined to be missing, in accordance with this policy, the school will contact the individual not later than 24 hours after the time the student is determined to be missing. Students who wish to identify an emergency contact should submit this information to the Registrar or the Dean of Students. Only officials of the school shall have access to this information and shall use it for official purposes only.

Notification to School OfficialsA member of the CDSP community who suspects a school community member is missing should immediately notify the Office of the Dean of Students.

School InvestigationUpon notification that a member of the school community may be missing, the Office of the Dean of Students shall conduct an investigation to determine facts regarding the report. If the investigator determines that the student may in fact be missing, the investigator will notify the school campus security officer and the City of Berkeley Police Department. The City of Berkeley Police Department will make the determination that the student is missing.

Notification to Emergency ContactsIf a local law enforcement agency has been notified and makes a determination that a student who is the subject of a missing person report has been missing for more than 24 hours and has not returned to the campus, the school will attempt to contact the emergency contact in accordance with the student's designation. If the student is under 18 years of age and is not emancipated, the school will attempt to notify the student's custodial parent or guardian and any other designated contact person.